I have not been pissed off like this in a while. But boy am I angry right now. Yesterday I received a bill from my oncology office for my December visit. Only one problem, I paid on the date of service. So I phoned the number on the invoice and pleasantly told them they had made a clerical error, that I paid on that day.

That should have been the end of it. But this morning, about ten minutes ago I had the rare pleasure to speak to “Sharon” from PA Oncology Associates at Penn Medicine in Radnor.

She treated me like crap, treated me like a dead beat and nowhere in there was there any modicum of actual customer service as in she’d look into it for me. I have paid every bill at every visit. As a matter of fact that is one thing I don’t like about breast cancer: not only do the bills seem to have bills but you pay for most services BEFORE you have even received them.

My appointment was in mid December. It was the day after I saw my breast surgeon. Somehow her office managed to not screw up my payment, but not my oncologist’s office. I love my oncologist, and his staff with the exception of Sharon the billing clerk are lovely.

Sharon criticized me, my voice, and basically treated me like a dead beat. HER solution was for me to spent $10 + in gas and drive an hour out of my way to prove I paid for my visit. I did not care for that idea anymore than I cared for I do not like being challenged by some billing clerk who screwed up.

It seems to me when you have a patient who never leaves the bill undone that
you might want to go that extra step and see where the mistake lies. After I told Sharon that she hung up on me. I find that grossly unprofessional. I was not abusive but I was upset. I am not paying twice for an appointment I already had paid for.

I have sent my oncologist proof of payment. That Sharon owes me and every other patient she has undoubtedly been miserable to an apology.

It is hard enough going through cancer and adjusting to life after cancer, after treatment, and so on without dealing with this bull twaddle.

Don’t roll up on me sister. I pay my bills. And I am not taking this lying down.

I am posting this because I know dealing with cancer bills is a huge issue to survivors.

Well I am a survivor who pays her cancer bills, so yes, you will indeed hear me roar.

1 Response to guilty until proven innocent: the joys of dealing with hospital billing clerks

That gets my pantyhose in a knot. Mistakes are made and it is the JOB of the staff to find out where the mistake is. I hope she was counseled, for surely this can’t be the first time she’s lost it on someone. UNACCEPTIBLE!